Should This Be My Diary?

Every week I beat myself up mentally for not adding more to this site. It's so dumb.

The reason I haven't is because I feel like I don't have a lot to say- but really that is not true because my brain never stops. So instead of worrying about writing what I think you want to hear, I am just going to write what I want to. And really, so I don't have to overthink, writing in diary form would most likely be easiest, so here I go.

1. Paintings I am working on this week

I have pulled my paper out again and have been working that instead of canvas. Paper is freeing because frankly it is cheap. I have hundreds of paintings on paper that I keep stacked and will go through every once in a while to be inspired. I have no issues painting over old stuff on canvas and paper. I had a friend stop over last week and asked me for a cake painting and I was like, 'Sorry I painted over them already'.

The best time to strike is immediately cause I like to play and get bored easily. I have no problem painting another layer over a painting.

2. What I have been experimenting with

I am making more use of my sketchbook trying out different styles. I have two extremes that I am pulled to. I LOVE the overdone-ness of my style. But I am so drawn to simplicity of just a single object and white space. I am trying to figure out how to marry the two. Here is what I have come up with so far. I am going to keep playing with it and see how I can push my style.

3. What has inspired me this week.

Many other things besides faces this week.

Check out the color palette of this beautiful painting by Julia Mann --- these are MY colors. Don't you love them?

One more! This painting is just so beautiful.

This piece is by Christel Haag. I am very attracted to it. It would appear that I enjoy jewel tone colors with the major colors being turquoise, navy pink, orange and yellow.

This is also a great way for you to come up with your own signature pallet. Start a Pinterest board collecting abstract paintings whose colors just talk to you. And you will start to see a pattern.

3. What else is floating my boat this week. (none of this is sponsored)

Books: The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

Netflix: The Hidden Lives of Pets

Podcasts: Unfold by Kellee Wynne

I am also looking around for another art teacher to study under. I have a few in mind.

Also, I picked up a very part time job recently. I am definitely not doing this for the money, but as a way to get out of the house on a regular basis and interact with adults. This is something that has to happen regularly or I get antsy. I am the newest tour guide at the Naval Academy. I take tourists around the campus and give them a history and overview of the place along with what it is like to go to the Academy. And when I say part-time, I really mean it. It is less than 10 hours a week.

In other exciting news- I have decided to open the SHOP part of this site and put my paper pieces in it. I will be adding to that collect every week. Go check it out.

4. Family News

My kids are grown and have all left the nest and doing pretty well for themselves. We stay in touch using an app called Marco Polo. Instead of texts, you send quick videos back and forth or even in groups and we can all talk and catch each other up. I love it because I can watch the videos when I have the time and respond accordingly.

Also, the mids (kids that go to the Naval Academy) that we take care of are in the last phase of their summer activities before school starts. They don't keep us as busy over the summer but we regularly see several of them most every weekend. These last few weeks should be fairly quiet.

5. what I can't stop thinking about

I want to move! This is just who I am as a person. Always ready to move on. Looking forward to the next adventure. I have been daydreaming about building a custom home and this one seems to rock my mine and Keith's face off. Its very 'outside patio' forward and I love it. The only place this can be built is in a location where it is warm most of the year.

Hey! Consider jumping on my email list and when I write these posts, I'll send them right to your inbox.

OK friends... until next time! Ciao